Wichita, Kan. — The Falcons fought against undefeated Oklahoma Wesleyan tonight, ultimately losing a close 3-2 match at home. The Falcons gave it their all in a hard-fought battle, but Oklahoma Wesleyan's high-powered offense proved just enough to secure the victory.

After a back-and-forth first half, Oklahoma Wesleyan struck first in the 14th minute when Nikita Pakhomov found the net, assisted by Joao Neves, giving the Eagles an early lead. The Falcons responded with strong defense, but Oklahoma Wesleyan doubled their advantage in the 36th minute through Matheus Ulrich's unassisted strike, putting Friends down 2-0 before the half.

The second half saw a shift in momentum as Friends came out determined. In the 37th minute, Nathanial Stephens, with an assist from Noah Gonzales, found the back of the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Falcons' comeback hopes were alive, and their offensive pressure continued to mount.

However, Oklahoma Wesleyan responded quickly, as Pol Mur scored in the 79th minute to extend the Eagles' lead to 3-1. Despite the two-goal gap, Friends University continued to push forward. In the 88th minute, Jose Quiel pulled one back for the Falcons, with Nathanial Stephens providing his second assist of the match. With just minutes left, the Falcons pressed hard for an equalizer, but time ran out, and the final whistle confirmed the 3-2 loss.

Falcon goalkeeper Stryker Kelly was active throughout the match, recording five saves, but the relentless Oklahoma Wesleyan offense, which tallied 12 shots on goal, proved difficult to handle.

The Falcons had 15 shots overall, with four on target, compared to Oklahoma Wesleyan's 12 shots and eight on target. Despite the loss, Friends showed strong discipline, winning the corner battle 5-3 and committing only four fouls compared to the Eagles eight.

The game was physical, with multiple yellow cards handed out. 

Friends will next face the Sterling College Warriors in Sterling, on Saturday, October 12!